Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-04-02
PREPARING GROUND FOR ONIONS.

with good success. But where their
culture is to be commenced some pre-
paration in previous heavy manuring
and cultivation in "A hoed crop is neces-
sary. Manure clover sod heavily this
spring, plant with potatoes, and cult
vate thoroughly to keep down the
weeds, and it will be in excellent con-
dition for onions a year hence. Land
for onions should always be fall plowed.
Ii will then have a natural, rich seed
bed on the surface in the spring. and
the seed may be put in with very light
cultivation of the soil. This will make
a shallow but mellow seed bed, with q
hard stratum beneath to induce bottom
ing. With deep blowing in the spring
il is more difficult to make a good seed
bed, and the result of having too deep
soil is TO make more solutions than
onions of the proper shape.
DESTROYING RUBBISH IN GARDENS.
Gardens are commonly visited very
early by the various kinds of noxious
Insects that destroy the vegetables
grown in them. One season for this
Is that they remain dormant in their
hiding-places under weeds, pieces of
boards or clods Of manure 1t is a
common practice ia change the garden
spot occasionally. so chat the plants
when they appear will not be immedi-
a.ely disturbed by their insect enemies
The better plan is to remove ali weeds,
litter and rubbish from gardens. Then
late in the fall p,ow the soil. leaving il
as loose as possible, aud Somc time
during the winter cover literally with
manure. This VIII give plenty Of time
for the soluble fertility Of the manure
10 leach into and be Incorporated with
the soil.
YIELD OF GRAPES FROM AN ACRE.
An acre of vines, in rows six feet one
way and eight the other, will give in
round numbers 800 vines per acre. IN
three years they will average enough
owe two pounds per vine to yield a ton
of fruit per acre, and when in fall
bcari 9 may be kept at this distance
apart, to an average crop of ten
pounds, per vine. This 5000 pounds,
or four and a half tons. Even At ,
Gets a pound, for which grapes may be
protitably bought for making into wine,
this would give $50 per acre; or far
more. after dcducting expenses of
management and cultivation, than can
be made from ordinary farm crops.
TIT CARE OF HoT REDs.
The hot bed in early spring is beset
by three dangers that must be careful
" guarded against or failure is almost
certain. First and simplest, cold
weather mast be provided against. Ii
is not SAFE 10 trust much TO The weather
in March. Remember that it is batter
TO put on the mats a score Of nights
when they are not needed than K leayc
them of whom they are needed.
The second danger is what i know
among gardeners rs ''dampiug Off"
The young plants suddenly droop,
without any apparent cause, and on eN-
animation it appears that the stem is
rotten nearly Or quite off at the surface
Of the ground. Various causes have
been assigned to this, but probably the
true n is that the plants smother
from a lack of oxygen.
1t should never be forgotten that the
fermentation Of the manure beneath
the hot-bed is a slow. but Il true COM
bustion. This is why it produces heat.
The oxygen OF the air unites with the
carbon of the manure, forming carbonic
acid, and in this no plant can live. The
hot-bed frame should never bc entirely
closed, therefore, SO long rs the manure
is in an active state of fermentation.
If all the joints are tight one sash
should always be left slightly open,
eve in severe weather, and when it is
necessary to use the mats.
The third danger applies 20 April
more than to March. 1t is that of
s%un-burning. When the sun shines
brightly on a closed hot-bed there is
great danger that the temperature
within may rise to u degree that will
prove fatal to the young plants. Care
full watch must be kept, therefore, and
plenty of air admitted during bright
sunshine on still days.